Combined weights and assembly members



Dec. 4, 1956 w. GEHRIG Re. 24,

COMBINED WEIGHTS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS Original Filed May 3, 1949 o a aUnited States Patent 24,247 COMBINED WEIGHTS AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS WalterGehrig, Flint, Mich.

OriginalNo. 2,710,479, dated June 14, 1955, Serial No. 91,032, May 3,1949. Application for reissue February 9, 1956, Serial No. 564,609

14 Claims. (Cl. 43-43.1)

Matter. enclosed in heavy brackets II] appears in the original patentbut forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed initalics indicates the additions made by reissue;

The present invention relates to'fishingtackle and the aim is to'providean improved casting weight, bobber, sinker and combined sinker and baitraiser for fishing with baited hook and line.

The invention consists essentially of a body comprising neat andconvenient means to assemble a flexible hookleader with a fishing line.The device generally comprises a body perforated by a passageway for ahookleader. One end of the passageway emerges near a lineaperture for afishing line whereby the loop-end of a hookleader. which is enclosed insaid passageway can be tied to. the leading body-end with said fishingline or can be hooked to a leader retainer provided therefor. The otherend of the passageway is formed into a curved bending form for theemerging leader portion to bend over. Means to. eliminate continuousrubbing of the leader against the surface of the passageway is providedin the form of a resilient leader guard adapted to embrace and clasp. aportion'of the hookleader.

The. body may be of buoyant or sinking material. A described combinedsinker and bait-raiser has a sinker secured to thelower end of a buoyantbody. The result is. that the combinedsinker and bait raiser will standupright on the bottom of a lake or river and hold the baitedhook abovestones and short weeds where fish can see the bait. This also preventslive bait from crawling under stones or Weeds and generally displays thebait in a nature-like manner resembling a creature, such as a bug orminnow, nibbling on the end of a weed. The combined sinker and baitraiser is especially advantageous when fishingv closeto the bottom indeep water as the hook can be reeled in to within a short distance'ofthe rodftip without any interferenece by parts on the line, as would bethe case if a bobber on the surface of the water would be used to holdthe bait just off the bottom in deep water.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of means 'toanchor a baited hook to the bottom of a river and to hold the bait offthe bottom, even in a moderate current.

A further object of theinvention is to provide neat, siinpleandconvenient assembling means for a casting weight, sinker, bobber orcombined sinker and bait-raiser with a hookleader and fishing line.

Another object of the invention is to provide neat, simple and handymeans on an assembly-member for attaching one end of a hookleaderdirectly to the end of a fishing line, whereby line tension istransmitted directly from the leader to the line without exerting atension transmitting strain on members of the assemblybody.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means whereby onesinglev line knot securely connects 3 parts: 1. The loop end of ahookleader; 2. The assembly body; 3. The end of the fishing-line.

Anotherobject of the invention is to combine a leader retaining meanswith a reinforcement for a line aperture in the assembly-body, wherebythe loop-end of a hookleader can simply be hooked to said leaderretaining means and the tension exerted on the leader is directlytransmitted to the fishing line by the one piece aperturereinforcementand leader retaining means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a directional leadersupport for the connective portion of a wiry but flexible hookleader tohold a baited hook near the possible maximum distance above the bottomof a body of water.

A further object of the invention is to provide an assembling bodyhaving a leader enclosure which neatly encloses the looped connectiveend of a hook-leader.

A further object of the invention is to provide a leader enclosure in acombined fishing weight and assembly body which is adapted to hold aconnective leader portion in a constant direction relative to the bodyand a leader retainer, regardless of the relative position of the longleader portion beyond the body.

Another object of the invention is to prevent continuous rubbing of thehookleader against the back end of the assembly-body when the leaderrepeatedly swings back and forth in the current of a river or Whiletrolling abait in a lake.

The assembly-body can be made of cork, foam-plastic, wood or otherbuoyant material to provide a bobber or float. An assembly-body of glassor transparent plastic provides a casting weight and slowly sinkingsinker well adapted to repeatedly cast out and retrieve small artificiallures on the end of a thin flexible leader. Lead in the form of thedescribed assembly-body makes an improved sinker suitable for trolling,casting and still fishing. The combination of a buoyant body with asinker in the manner described serves as a combined sinker andbaitraiser.

Different forms and sizes of the described assemblybody can bemanufactured for the various fishing conditions and difierent fishingmethods.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in featuresof construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as Will behereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing which discloses the preferred embodiments of theinvention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

Figure 1 illustrates a combined casting weight, sinker and bait raisercomprising a float with a sinker on the lower end thereof. The baitraiser is shown in longitudinal midsection taken as indicated by thelines, arrows and numerals 1 in Figure 3. The sectional view disclosesthe combined leader passageway and leader enclosure. An optional leaderretainer is shown within the sinker.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same bait raiser.

Figure 3 is a top view of the bait raiser.

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the bait raiser.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal mid-sectional View similar toFigure 1 but the optional leader retainer is omitted and the connectiveend of the hookleader is shown tied directly to the fishing line and tothe attaching means for the fishing line on the sinker portion of baitraiser.

Figure 6 is a modified form of the same basic structure, shown inlongitudinal mid-section, as indicated by the lines, arrows and numerals6 in Figure 7. The illus- Figure 8 is a cross-section through thecasting weight I taken as indicated in Figure 6 by the lines, arrowsand" numerals 8.

'Reissued Dec. 4, 1956 Figure 9 is another cross-section through thesame body, taken as indicated by lines, arrows and numerals 9 in Figure6.

In Figure 1 of the drawing the numeral 1 indicates an inherently buoyantbody, of foam-plastic or other suitable material such as cork or wood. Asinker 2, preferably of lead, and the buoyant body 1 are secured to eachother by means of cement and by an interlocking recess and projection 3provided thereon. The buoyancy of the buoyant upper body portion 1 isadequate to.hold the same in an upright position above the sinkerportion 2 when the latter rests on the bottom of a body of water. A lineattaching means, comprising a line-aperture 4 for a fishing line 5, isprovided on an extended portion 6 of the bait raiser. A combined leaderpassageway and leader enclosure 7 perforates the assembly-body 1, 2 fromtop to bottom. The upper end of the passageway-wall forms a leadersupport 15 to direct an inserted hook leader 8 upward with thecooperation of the buoyancy of the float 1. A passageway extension inthe form of a slot 9, formed in the bottom of the body, extends from theline-aperture 4 across and past the lower open end of the leaderpassageway 7 as shown in the drawing. A com bined aperture reinforcementand leader retainer is formed with a line-eyelet, sleeve and insert 10at one end thereof. It may be made of a piece of wire, a portion ofwhich forms a coil 10 fitting into the line aperture 4. An extendedportion of the sleeve and insert 10 is disposed in the adjacent leaderpassageway portion 9 and extends past and across the open lower end ofthe leader enclosure 7 to form a leader retainer 11, having a returnbend or hook, as illustrated in the drawing. The line attaching meansalso comprises a small line-groove 12 formed in the leading portion ofthe sinker. The contour of the extended sinker portion 6 diverges fromthe linegroove 12 towards the main body to form a V-shaped weeddeflector. The upper end of the leader passageway 7 opens in a fiaredarc of a comparatively large radius to form a bellmouthed bending form14 for the emerging hook leader portion 8. Adjacent the base of thebending form the flexible foam plastic forms a soft resilient claspmeans 15 therein, adapted to receive circum-restrictljed] and [a] claspa portion of the hookleader 8. This narrow but resilient passagewayportion 15 forms a leader support holding the emerging leader portion inan upright position to direct the free remainder of the wiry hookleaderupward. This passageway clasp 15 also holds the enclosed connectiveleader portion taut against the leader retainer 11. For fishing inrivers having considerable current it is preferable to use a combinedsinker and bait-raiser of generally streamlined cross-section as shownin Figure 3. The generally streamlined shape cuts down drag and the longnarrow sinker base positioned in line with the waterfiow gives thebait-raiser a better footing. A considerable portion of the sinker body2 is olf-set toward the leading end 6 of the body-assembly. Acomparatively wide and flat upper pressure-face 18 on the sinker slantsdownward toward the extended leading end thereof. Water-flow againstthis slanted face 18 results in downward pressure being applied to theface 18 to thereby force the leading end 6 down toward the bottom. Thisdownward pressure combined with the off center position of the extendedsinker portion 6 counteracts water drag on the upper body portion.Anchorhooks 19 may be provided on the bottom of the bait-raiser toincrease the resistance to water current. A substantially V-shapedhookture.

in the water current, which [what] in turn would weaken trated in Figure5. The three parts are thus quickly and-v securely assembled by tyingonly one single knot. For fishing methods requiring frequent bait andleader changes an optional leader retainer 11 is provided. The lattermakes it possible to simply hook and unhook a leader-loop to and fromthe body and fishing line. The loop-end 13 of a hookleader 8 is simplypushed from top to bottom through the leader passageway 7 and is thenhooked on the extension 11 of the eyelet and aperture reinforcement 10.Leader tension is thus transmitted directly from the leader to thefishing line by means of the combined one piece eyelet and leaderretainer. The substantially tubular aperture reinforcement 10 preventsthe fishing line from cutting through the material which forms the lineaper- A third way of attaching the hookleader 8 and the fishing line 5to the assembly member [memmer] 1, 2 is to tie each one separately tothe body through the line aperture 4.

Modified form The features described above are also incorporated in thefishing weight and assembly member illustrated in Figures 6, 7, 8, and9. The looped end 20 of a hookleader 21 is enclosed in a passageway andleader enclosure 22 perforating a body 23 longitudinally. At thetrailing end of the fishing weight a recess 24 retains a soft insert 25,

which forms a flared bell-mouthed bending form 26 for the emergingleader portion. At the base of the bending form the piece of softresilient material 25 forms the trailing end portion 27 of the leaderpassageway. This soft resilient body member 25 is adapted to receive,circumrestrict, clasp, and retain the inserted leader portion in thenarrow passageway portion formed therein. To lower manufacturing costand to facilitate passage of the hookleader, the intermediate portion ofthe leader passageway 22 has the form of a longitudinal narrow slot 28opening through one side of the body 23. Adjacent to the leading end ofthe body the leaderloop 20 is completely enclosed within the leading endof the leader enclosure 22 as shown in Figures 6 and 9 of the drawing. Aline aperture 29 for a fishing line (not shown) perforates one side-wallof the body 23 and communicates with the passageway 22 at the leadingend thereof. A clearance slot 30 is provided in the lower wall of thebody across from the line-aperture to eliminate obstruction to thepassage leader-groove and slit 16 formed in the trailing top portion 7of the fishing line through the line-aperture. The looped end 20 of ahookleader 21 in the passageway 22 may be tied to the leading end of thebody as described before and as shown in Figure 5. The fishing weightalso has a combined aperture reinforcement sleeve 31 fitting into theline-aperture and a leader retainer 32, substantially as describedbefore. The leader retaining means incorporated in the body near theleading end of the passageway 22'includes a member forming a hook andsaddle 32 adapted to have the looped end 20 of a hookleader in thepassageway hooked thereto. The soft resilient clasp means 25 embodied inthe trailing ortion of the body cooperates with the leader retainer inthat it prevents relative forward movement of the enclosed leaderportion, 7

which [what] in turn prevents disengagement of the leader-loop 20 fromthe leader retainer 32. The enclosed leader portion is circum-restrictedin the trailing body-end and is also held in a constant directionrelative to the body and leader retainer, even when a long remainder ofthe hookleader is doubled back over the outside of the fishing weight,as during the casting flight. The leading end of this modified form alsohas a small line-groove 33 and forms a V-shaped weed deflector 34.

While I have described my invention in detail in the present preferredembodiments, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit or scope thereof. I aim, in the appended claims, to cover suchmodifications and changes.

What I claim is:

1. A combined fishing device and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader formed with a looped end, comprising a body havinga passageway extending therethrough adapted to receive a portion of thehookleader including the looped end thereof with the remainder of saidhookleader protruding beyond one end portion of said body, saidpassageway having the end thereof through which the hookleader emergesflared into a bell-shaped bending form, means provided for theattachment of the looped end of the hookleader and the fishing line tothe end of said body opposite to that through which the hookleaderemerges, said [elongated] body being composed of both buoyant andnon-buoyant material, said buoyant material comprising the end portionthrough which the hookleader emerges While said non-buoyant materialcomprises the end portion for attachment of the hookleader and fishingline, an anchor hook :on the non-buoyant material, and an inclined watercurrent engaging surface on said body slanting downwardly toward theline-attaching means against which water may react to force said anchordownwardly.

2. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having apassageway extending therethrough adapted to receive a portion of thehookleader including the looped end thereof with the remainder of saidhookleader protruding beyond one end portion of said body and with thelatter end portion ciIcum-restricting the inserted leader portion, saidbody having an aperture in the end thereof opposite to that throughwhich said remainder of the hookleader emerges, and a combinedaperture-reinforcing sleeve and hookleader retainer arranged to fitinside said aperture and to extend across said passageway, respectively,so that a fishing line may be tied to said body through saidreinforcement and whereby the looped end of the hookleader may be passedover the leader retainer to secure the hookleader thereto.

3. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line andaflexible hookleader, comprising a body having a line-aperture formed inthe normal leading end thereof to tie the end of a fishing line theretoand having a leader passageway formed therein which extends lengthwisetherethrough from said line-aperture to the opposite trailing body-end,said leader passageway being adapted to receive the connective endportion of the hookleader with the remainder of the hookleaderprotruding beyond said trailing body-end and with the trailing body endcircum-restricting the inserted leader portion, the end of thepassageway at the trailing end of the body being flared to form abell-mouthed bending form for the emerging leader portion, and saidline-aperture being formed to communicate with the adjacent end of saidpassageway so that the connective end of the hookleader in thepassageway may be tied to the leading end of the body.

4. A combined fishing weight'and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having aline-aperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end ofa fishing line thereto and having[,] a leader passageway extendinglengthwise therethrough from said line-aperture to the opposite trailingbody-end, said leader passageway being adapted to receive the connectiveend portion of the hookleader including the looped end thereof with theremainder of the hookleader protruding beyond said trailing body-end andwith the trailing body end circum-restricting the inserted leaderportion, the end of the passageway at the trailing end of the body beingflared to form a bellmouthed bending form for the emerging leaderportion, and said line-aperture being formed to communicate with theadjacent end of said passageway so that the end portion of a fishingline may be passed through said lineaperture and through said looped endof the hookleader.

in the passageway to secure said hookleader and fishing line to thebody.

5. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having aline-aperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end ofa fishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extendinglengthwise therethrough from said line-aperture to the opposite trailingbody-end, said leader passageway being adapted to receive the connectiveend portion of the hookleader including the looped end thereof with theremainder of the hookleader protruding beyond said trailing body-end andwith the trailing body end circum-restricting the inserted leaderportion, the end of the passageway at the trailing end of the body beingflared to form a bellmouthed bending form for the emerging leaderportion, said line-aperture being formed to communicate with theadjacent end of said passageway, and a leader retainer comprising acombined eyelet and insert arranged to fit inside said aperture, 3,fishing line having an end portion normally tied to the leading end ofthe body by passing the same through said eyelet-insert and aperture, amember of the leader retainer being positioned adjacent the leading endof the passageway and.

adapted to have the looped end of the hookleader in the passagewayquickly hooked thereto and unhooked therefrom.

6. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having aline-aperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end ofa fishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extendinglengthwise therethrough from said line-aperture to the opposite trailingbody-end, said leader passageway being adapted to receive the connectiveend portion of the hookleader including the looped end thereof withtheremainder of the hookleader protruding beyond said trailing body-end andwith the trailing body end circumrestricting the inserted leaderportion, the end of the passageway at the trailing end of the body beingflared to form a bellmouthed bending form for the emerging leaderportion, said line-aperture being formed to communicate with theadjacent end of the passageway, and a combined aperture insert andleader retainer comprising a wire member, a portion of said wire memberforming a coil fitting inside said line-aperture and another portion ofsaid wire forming a leader retainer and being positioned adjacent theleading end of the passageway and adapted to have the looped end of thehookleader in the passageway quickly hooked thereto and unhookedtherefrom.

7. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having aline-aperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end ofa fishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extending[lengthwise there] through [from said] [line-aperture to] the [opposite]trailing body-end, said leader passageway being adapted to receive theconnective end portion of the hookleader including the looped endthereof with the remainder of the hookleader protruding beyond saidtrailing body-end, a resilient body member forming a portion of theleader passageway and being adapted to receive, clasp and retain aportion of the hookleader, and a leader retainer incorporated in saidbody adjacent the leading end of the passageway and adapted to beinserted in the looped end of said hookleader to retain the latter insaid passageway, said resilient body member being adapted to cooperatewith' the leader retainer to resist lengthwise movement of the insertedhookleader and thus preventing disengagement of said looped end from theleader retainer.

8. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having aline-aperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end ofa fishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extending[lengthwise there] through [from said] [line aperture to] the [opposite]trailing body-end, said leader passageway being adapted to receive theconnective end portion of the hookleader including the looped endthereof with the remainder of the hookleader protruding beyond saidtrailing body-end, a resilient body member forming the trailing endportion of the passageway and being adapted to receive, clasp and retaina portion of the hookleader, and a leader retainer incorporated in saidbody adjacent the leading end of the passageway forming a saddle adaptedto be inserted in the looped end of said hookleader to retain the latterin position, said resilient body member being adapted to cooperate with.the leader retainer to resist lengthwise movement of the insertedhookleader and thus preventing disengagement of said looped end from theleader retainer.

9. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having a lineaperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end of afishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extending [there]through [from said line aperture] [to] the [opposite] trailing body-end,said leader passageway being adapted to receive the connective endportion of the hookleader including the looped end thereof with theremainder of said hookleader protruding beyond said trailing body-end, aresilient body member forming the trailing end portion of the passagewayand being adapted to receive, clasp and retain a portion of thehookleader in position, and a leader retainer incorporated in said bodyadjacent the leading end of the passageway, said leading end of thepassageway being adapted to enclose the looped end of the insertedhookleader in a plane transverse thereto with a portion of said leaderretainer ex tending across said leading end of the passageway in such amanner'that said looped end of the hookleader in the passageway may behooked thereto and unhooked therefrom, and said resilient body membercooperating with the leader retainer to resist lengthwise movement ofthe inserted hookleader and thus preventing disengagement of said loopedend from the leader retainer.

10. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader with a looped end, comprising a body having a lineaperture formed in the normal leading end thereof to tie the end of afishing line thereto and having a leader passageway extending[lengthwise] therethrough [from] [said line aperture] to the [opposite]trailing body-end, said leader passage- .way being' adapted to receivethe connective end portion of the hookleader including the looped endthereof with the remainder of the hookleader protruding beyond saidtrailing body-end, a resilient body member forming the trailing endportion of the passageway and being adapted to receive, clasp and retaina portion of the hook-leader in position, said passageway having theform of an open slot intermediate said line aperture and said resilientbody member, and a leader retainer incorporated in said body adjacentthe leading end of the passageway and forming a saddle adapted to beinserted in the looped end of said hookleader to retain the latter inposition, and said resilient body member cooperating with the leaderretainer to resist lengthwise movement of the inserted hookleader andthus preventing disengagement of said looped end from the leaderretainer.

11. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader, comprising a body having a line-aperture formedin the normal leading end-portion thereof to tie the end of a fishingline thereto and having a leader passageway extending [lengthwise]therethrough [from a point near] [said line-aperture] through the[opposite] trailing body-end, said passageway being adapted to receive aconnective portion of the hookleader with the remainder of thehookleader protruding beyond said trailing body-end, and anaperturereinforcing sleeve arranged inside said line-aperture in such amanner that a fishing line may be tied to the leading end portion ofsaid body through said sleeve in the line-aperture, an extended portionof the sleeve material also forming a hookleader-retainer adapted tohave a looped end of the hookleader in the passageway hooked thereto.

12. A bait raiser comprising a float of buoyant material, a sinkersecured to one end of said float, the buoyancy of the float holding thelatter above the sinker when the bait raiser is at rest on the bottom ofa body of water, said sinker having a line-aperture therein constitutingan attaching means for a fishing line, said bait raiser having acombined leader passageway and leader enclosure formed within andextending therethrough, one end of said leader passageway openingthrough the surface of the float at the upper end thereof opposite thesinker, the other and lower end of said leader passageway openingthrough the surface of the bait raiser near said lineaperture in thesinker, and a leader retainer, one end portion of the leader retainerforming a combined eyelet and insert fitting inside said line-aperturein the sinker and being adapted to have a fishing line tiedtherethrough, the remainder of said leader retainer being associatedwith said lower end of the leader passageway, the connective end portionof a wiry flexible hookleader normally being inserted in said leaderenclosure with the remainder of the hookleader extending beyond theupper end of the bait raiser and carrying a fish-hook on the free endthereof, the connective end portion of the hookleader forming a loop,said remainder of the leader retainer being adapted to be inserted insaid leader loop, and the upper end of said float being formed tocircumrestrict the inserted leader portion and constituting adirectional leader support to direct the emerging leader portion upwardwith the cooperation of the buoyancy of the float.

13. A combined fishing weight and assembly member for a fishing line anda flexible hookleader, comprising a body having a line-aperture formedin the normal leading end-portion thereof to tie the end of a fishingline thereto and having a leader retaining means incorporated in theleading end-portion of said body, said body also having a leaderpassageway extending [lengthwise therethrough] [from a point near saidleader retaining means] through the [opposite] trailing body-end, saidpassageway being adapted to receive a connective portion of thehookleader with the remainder of the hookleader protruding beyond saidtrailing body-end which is formed to circum-restrict the inserted leaderportion, and said leader retaining means being adapted to have a loopedend of the hookleader in the passageway hooked thereto, and said leaderpassageway cooperating with the leader retaining means to hold theconnective leader portion therein in a constant relative directionregardless of the relative direction of the long trailing leader portionbeyond (References on following page) 10 References Cited {he file ofthis patent 2,196,620 Attarain Apr. 9, 1940 or the ongmal patent2,221,437 Allison Nov. 12, 1940 N ED STATES PATENTS 2,239,934 pm Apr. 9,9 473,503 Herring Apr, 26, 1392 2350938 Smk July 1941 5 2,397,030Mercler Mar. 19, 1946 685,263 Decor Oct. 29, 1901 2,495,572 Deutsch Jan.24, 1950 786,597 Plcken Apr. 4, 1905 2,534,790 Moore Dec. 19, 1950952,615 Harkms Mar. 22, 1910 2 712 197 Lewis Jul 15 1955 1,497,019Hennings June 10, 1924 y 1,512,656 Ward Oct. 21, 1924 w FOREIGN PATENTS1,543,206 D9ering June 231 1925 534,101 France Mar, 18, 1922, 190649551199 May 1933 610,687 France. Sept. 10, 1926 2, 7, k v- 2 1937 399,3France Jun, 5

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